The Boise Public Library Campus & Anne Frank Memorial Greenbelt Improvements project is a coordinated planning and design effort focused on improving mobility, accessibility, safety, and overall functionality within a major civic and cultural district in downtown Boise. Centered around the Boise Public Library main branch, Idaho Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial, Wassmuth Center, The Cabin, and adjacent Boise River Greenbelt, the project envisions the Boise’s Main Library branch as a unified campus and community destination with continuity through cohesive materiality and unified wayfinding.
Details
Location
Boise, ID
Partners
The City of Boise
The Wassmuth Center
Cushing Terrell
Atlas
Guho Corporation
Boise Public Library
Year Completed
2025
Delivery Method
CMGC
Context
Context
Located within Boise’s downtown cultural district, this project is centered around one of the city’s most heavily utilized public spaces, the Boise Public Library campus and its connection to the Idaho Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial, the Wassmuth Center, the Cabin, and Boise River Greenbelt. This area functions as a critical civic and cultural hub, where diverse user groups converge, including library patrons, pedestrians, cyclists, and visitors to the adjacent amenities. Over time, increasing use and overlapping circulation patterns created conflicts that impacted safety, accessibility, and the overall user experience. The project was initiated to reimagine this interconnected area as a cohesive, highly functional public space that strengthens the relationship between the library, memorial, and Greenbelt.
Process
Process
The Land Group led a collaborative, stakeholder-driven design process focused on understanding how people move through and experience the project site. Working closely with the City of Boise and project stakeholders, the team conducted a comprehensive analysis of existing conditions, identifying circulation challenges, user conflicts, and opportunities for improved connectivity across the campus and surrounding public spaces. This process emphasized early coordination and continuous communication, ensuring that the needs of multiple user groups and agencies were fully integrated into the planning effort. From master planning through design of targeted improvements, the process was rooted in aligning technical solutions with community expectations, resulting in a unified vision for both the library campus and adjacent Greenbelt corridor.
Solution
Solution
The resulting design establishes a clear and intuitive framework for movement, access, and use across the site. A comprehensive mobility and parking master plan was developed to improve site functionality and reduce conflicts, while targeted improvements along the Boise River Greenbelt—including pathway realignment, widening, and enhanced accessibility—create safer and more comfortable connections for all users. Integrated lighting, signage, and landscape enhancements further elevate the user experience, reinforcing wayfinding, safety, and visual cohesion. By linking the library campus, Anne Frank Memorial, and Greenbelt through a coordinated design approach, the project transforms previously fragmented spaces into a seamless and highly legible public environment supported by phased implementation strategies aligned with the City’s long-term goals.
Impact
Impact
This project delivers a meaningful transformation of one of Boise’s most important community spaces, enhancing how people move, gather, and connect within the downtown area. Improved circulation and accessibility have reduced user conflicts and created a safer, more inclusive environment for pedestrians, cyclists, and visitors. The strengthened connection between the Boise Public Library, Anne Frank Memorial, the Wassmuth Center, the Cabin, and Greenbelt reinforces the cultural identity of the district, supporting both daily use and special events. Ultimately, the project elevates the quality and functionality of the space, providing a resilient and adaptable area that will continue to serve Boise’s community well into the future.